The capitals in Ludolphus de Saxonia, Vita Christi are letters
belonging to a set measuring 52 x 52mm of Lombard form
with profuse flowers + leaf decoration on black ground,
resembling those of Peter Wagner, Nuremberg + Fadrique
de Basiled, Burgos - 1491.
Alphabets of white letters on black or red ground, measuring
29x28 mm with tendril decoration, + 17x17 mm with flower
+ leaf ornament, are also used in Ludolphus.
(fl. c 1300-1325) Ludolphus de Saxonia (d. ca: 1370) a Dominican, + later a
Carthusian, created in theis Life of Crist one of the most popular
works of the late Middle Ages, as attested by numerous
manuscripts + at least 23 ed. printed before 1501 It was one
of the very few works of this kind which remained current during
the 16th C as many ed appeared then + even later Editions
in Catalan, Dutch, French + Portuguese, as well as the original
Latin, appeared before 1501, + German + Italian translations
were made in the 16th C.
- a tremendously expanded life of Christ drawn from Biblical sources.
- Carthusian spiritual writer - b. c 1295, d. Strassburg April 10 1377.
He began his religious life as a Dominican but entered the
Carthusians in 1340 at Strassburg. Ludolph was the author of
one of the most wdely read books of the Middle Ages - Vita
Domini nostri Jesu Christi ex quator Evangeliis. The
Vita Christi dwelt at length upon the wnets + teachings
recorded in the Gospels and commented upon them abundently
from the Fathers of teh Church + later spiritual authors such
as St. Bernard. Pseudo - Bonaventure + James of Voragine.
The Vita was 1st printed in 1474 by the Carthusians
of Strassburg.
- the Life of Christ, conceived as a manual of moral + spiritual
instruction for the faithful.
(except for Vol 3) only known Portuguese book printing during the reign of
Dom Joao II.
1495 - the gear when Dom Manuel, the Fortunate came to the throne
EN